_OUR FELLOW MEN_
_Love Each Other_--Go on until we are perfect, loving our neighbor
more than we love ourselves. 19:49.
Put away all unkind feelings, and let all your meditations be correct.
8:72.
It is folly in the extreme for persons to say that they love God; when
they do not love their brethren; and it is of no use for them to say
that they have confidence in God, when they have none in righteous men.
4:297.
We are not here isolated and alone, differently formed and composed
of different material from the rest of the human race. We belong to
and are part of this family, consequently we are under obligations one
to another, and the Latter-day Saints in these mountains are under
obligations to their brethren and sisters scattered in the nations who,
through indigent circumstances, are unable to gather to themselves the
comforts of life. 13:301.
Be just as independent as a God to do good. Love mercy, eschew evil, be
a savior to yourselves and to your families, and to your fellow beings
just as much as you possibly can, and go on with your independence and
do not yield yourselves servants to obey an evil principle or an evil
being. 15:7.
It should be satisfactory evidence that you are in the path of life,
if you love God and your brethren with all your hearts. You may see,
or think you see, a thousand faults in your brethren; yet they are
organized as you are; they are flesh of your flesh, bone of your bone;
they are of your Father who is in heaven; we are all his children, and
{418} should be satisfied with each other as far as possible. The main
difficulty in the hearts of those who are dissatisfied is, they are not
satisfied with themselves. 8:287.
We should commence our labors of love and kindness with the family to
which we belong; and then extend them to others. 11:288.
A man or woman who has embraced, and who enjoys, the principles of this
Church, ought to live like an angel. They ought never to be angry with
each other, but live in the light of the truth continually, and every
man be kind to his neighbor. 1:245.
The Latter-day Saints have got to learn that the interest of their
brethren is their own interest, or they never can be saved in the
celestial kingdom of God. 3:331.
Let us have compassion upon each other, and let the strong tenderly
nurse the weak into strength, and let those who can see guide the blind
until they can see the way for themselves. 10:213.
When you see a neighbor begin to slip, pray for him that he may have
the Spirit of the Gospel as he once had. And if you feel this Spirit
within yourselves, pray for an increase of that light you received when
you first received the Gospel, and you will save yourself and house.
8:164.
Envy not those who do better than you do; do not pursue them with
malice, but try to shape and frame your life by theirs. 11:256.
Reason as to why it is that you can remember an injury better than a
kindness; why you can retain hatred longer than love. Is it through
your fallen nature? Is it because you were begotten and born in sin?
Or is it not rather because the power of the tempter has control over
you, and because the world is full of evil principles, and you have
{419} adhered to them? Yes, this is the cause, and you must acknowledge
it. The whole world is contaminated with a spirit to remember evil and
forget the good. 3:356.
I have examined myself very closely; I have been trying to know myself,
to govern myself, and purify my own heart. The worst evil I can imagine
or wish to come upon the enemies of truth is, that they be obliged to
live by holy principles, and to deal by their fellow-creatures as they
would wish to be dealt by. 8:13-14.
Be kind to all as our Father in Heaven is kind. He sends his rain upon
the just and the unjust; and gives the sun to shine upon the evil and
the good. So let our goodness extend to all the works of his hands,
where we can; but do not yield to the spirit and influence of evil. Do
not encourage wickedness in our midst. 12:220.
Do I say, Love your enemies? Yes, upon certain principles. But you are
not required to love their wickedness; you are only required to love
them so far as concerns a desire and effort to turn them from their
evil ways, that they may be saved through obedience to the Gospel. 8:71.
If there is nothing in the heart which governs us, and controls to an
evil effect, the tongue of itself will never produce evil. 3:196.
_Let Us Be Merciful_--The genius of our religion is to have mercy
upon all, do good to all, as far as they will let us do good to them.
11:282.
God bless the humble and the righteous, and may he have compassion upon
us because of the weakness that is in our nature. And considering the
great weakness and ignorance of mortals, let us have mercy upon each
other. 9:158.
Let us be just, merciful, faithful and true, and let us {420} live our
religion, and we shall be taught all things pertaining to the building
up of Zion. 10:177.
The merciful man shall find mercy. When a man designedly does wrong, he
ought to be chastised for that wrong, receiving according to his works.
If a man does wrong through ignorance, and manifests sincere sorrow for
the wrong, he is the one whom we should forgive seventy times in a day,
if necessary, and not the one who has designedly done wrong and repents
not. 7:244.
Men should act upon the principle of righteousness, because it is
right, and is a principle which they love to cherish and see practiced
by all men. They should love mercy, because of its benevolence,
charity, love, clemency, and all of its lovely attributes, and be
inspired thereby to deal justly, fairly, honorably, meting out to
others their just deservings. 1:119.
When we hold unrighteous, ungodly persons in fellowship, it injures the
whole body of Christ; but we do it because we have compassion for them.
10:284.
Be steadfast, always abiding in the truth. Never encourage malice or
hatred in your hearts; that does not belong to a Saint. I can say in
truth, that with all the abuse I have ever met, driven from my home,
robbed of my substance, I do not know that a spirit of malice has ever
rested in my heart. I have asked the Lord to mete out justice to those
who have oppressed us, and the Lord will take his own time and way for
doing this. It is in his hands, and not in mine, and I am glad of it,
for I could not deal with the wicked as they should be dealt with.
10:297.
_Show Charity_--Only a few men on the earth understand the charity
that fills the bosom of our Savior. We should have charity; we should
do all we can to reclaim the lost {421} sons and daughters of Adam and
Eve, and bring them back to be saved in the presence of our Father and
God. If we do this, our charity will extend to the utmost extent that
it is designed for the charity of God to extend in the midst of this
people. 8:175.
Let all Latter-day Saints learn that the weaknesses of their brethren
are not sins. When men or women undesignedly commit a wrong, do not
attribute that to them as a sin. Let us learn to be compassionate one
with another; let mercy and kindness soften every angry and fretful
temper, that we may become long suffering and beneficent in all our
communications one with another. 9:334.
Let us be patient with one another. I do not altogether look at things
as you do. My judgment is not in all things like yours, nor yours like
mine. When you judge a man or woman, judge the intentions of the heart.
It is not by words, particularly, nor by actions, that men will be
judged in the great day of the Lord; but, in connection with words and
actions, the sentiments and intentions of the heart will be taken, and
by these will men be judged. 8:10.
Ye mighty men of God, make sure the path for your own feet to walk to
eternal life, and take as many with you as you can. Take them as they
are, understand them as they are, and deal with them as they are; look
at them as God looks at them, and then you can judge them as he would
judge them. 8:10.
Respect one another; do not speak lightly of each other. Some, if they
get a little pique against an individual, are disposed to cast him
down to hell, as not worthy of a place upon earth. O fools! not to
understand that those you condemn are the workmanship of God, as well
as yourselves! God overlooks their weaknesses; and so far as they do
good, {422} they are as acceptable as we are. Thank God that you know
better, and be full of mercy and kindness. 8:149.
Suppose that in this community there are ten beggars who beg from door
to door for something to eat, and that nine of them are imposters who
beg to escape work, and with an evil heart practice imposition upon
the generous and sympathetic, and that only one of the ten who visit
your doors is worthy of your bounty; which is best, to give food to the
ten, to make sure of helping the truly needy one, or to repulse the
ten because you do not know which is the worthy one? You will all say,
administer charitable gifts to the ten, rather than turn away the only
truly worthy and truly needy person among them. If you do this, it will
make no difference in your blessings, whether you administer to worthy
or unworthy persons, inasmuch as you give alms with a single eye to
assist the truly needy. 8:12.
My experience has taught me, and it has become a principle with me,
that it is never any benefit to give, out and out, to man or woman,
money, food, clothing, or anything else, if they are able-bodied, and
can work and earn what they need, when there is anything on the earth,
for them to do. This is my principle, and I try to act upon it. To
pursue a contrary course would ruin any community in the world and make
them idlers. People trained in this way have no interest in working;
"but," say they, "we can beg, or we can get this, that, or the other."
No, my plan and counsel would be, let every person, able to work, work
and earn what he needs; and if the poor come around me--able-bodied men
and women--take them and put them into the house. "Do you need them?"
No; but I will teach this girl to do housework, and teach that woman to
sew and do other kinds of work, that they may be profitable when they
{423} get married or go for themselves. "Will you give them anything to
wear?" O, yes make them comfortable, give them plenty to eat and teach
them to labor and earn what they need; for the bone and sinew of men
and women are the capital of the world. 11:297.
To give to the idler is as wicked as anything else. Never give anything
to the idler. 16:19.
Set the poor to work--setting out orchards, splitting rails, digging
ditches, making fences, or anything useful, and so enable them to buy
meal and flour and the necessaries of life. 12:60-61.
Have the poor got greedy eyes? Are they covetous and penurious? I shall
go a little too far if I am not careful. I must guard myself, because
the Lord has chosen the poor of this world. But what kind of poor? Now
the poor may be divided into three classes. In the first place there is
the Lord's poor, of which you may pick up one here and another there,
one in a city, two in a family. Is there any other kind? Yes, you come
across a certain class that may be called the Devil's poor. Is there
any other class? Yes, there is another class, who, long before I ever
mentioned them, were denominated poor devils. Hence we have the Lord's
poor, the Devil's poor, and poor devils. 12:57.
_Establish Confidence_--Preserve your honor, and your integrity,
and ever cherish the confidence that men repose in you. 11:256.
Want of confidence is the parent of moral imbecility and intellectual
weakness. 10:20.
But if we lack confidence in each other, and be jealous of each other,
our peace will be destroyed. If we cultivate the principles of unshaken
confidence in each other, our joy will be full. 1:33. {424}
If we could obtain that faith and confidence in each other, and in our
God, that when we ask a favor, we could do so with a full assurance and
knowledge that we should receive, do you not perceive that it would
lead us directly to do as we would be done by, in every transaction and
circumstance of life? It would prompt us to do, not only as much as
requested, but more. If your brother should request you to go with him
a mile, you would go two; if he should sue you for your coat, you would
give him your cloak also. This principle prompts us to do all we can
to promote the interest of each other, the cause of God on the earth,
and whatever the Lord desires us to do; makes us ready and willing to
perform it at once. 1:115.
If you wish to establish a confidence such as the Gods enjoy, let us
cease from every evil act, and from the contemplation of every evil
design; never infringe upon another's rights, but let each one sustain
his brother in the enjoyment of his privileges and rights, holding
them as sacred as our own salvation. If confidence has been lost,
this is the surest and only successful way to restore it. Hear it, ye
preachers, ye Apostles, and Prophets; ye Elders, High Priests, and
Seventies; ye Priests, Teachers, Deacons, and Bishops; every man and
woman in the Church of God throughout the world; commence to preach
this discourse at home, beginning with your own heart; then teach your
wives and your children; then let it spread its warning and cheering
influence, like the genial sunbeam, from family to family, until the
whole Church of-Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is united as the
heart of one man. 1:315.
Let us from this time forth live so as to create confidence in all men
with whom we deal and come in contact; and treasure up each particle
of confidence we obtain as {425} one of the most precious possessions
mortals can possibly possess. When by my good actions I have created
confidence in my neighbor towards me, I pray that I may never do
anything that will destroy it. 11:256.
The work in which you and I have enlisted is to restore confidence in
the minds of the people; and when I hear of circumstances transpiring
in which brethren forfeit their word I regard it as a blot upon the
character of this people. We should keep our word with each other. And
if we have difficulty or misunderstanding with each other, talk it
over, canvass the subject thoroughly, seriously and discreetly, and we
shall find that all difficulties will be remedied in this way easier
than any other; and we shall also find that nearly every difficulty
that arises in the midst of the inhabitants of the earth, is through
misunderstanding; and if a wrong in intent and design really exists, if
the matter is canvassed over, the wrong-doer is generally willing to
come to terms. 14:278.
_Avoid Contention_--I consider it as a disgrace to the community,
and in the eyes of the Lord, and of angels, and in the eyes of all the
Prophets and Revelators that have ever lived upon the earth, when a
community will descend to a low, degraded state of contention with each
other. 1:32.
I wish men would look upon that eternity which is before them. In the
great morning of the resurrection, with what grief would they look upon
their little trifling affairs of this probation; they would say, "O! do
not mention it, for it is a source of mortification to me to think that
I ever should be guilty of doing wrong, or of neglecting to do good to
my fellowmen, even if they have abused me." 1:32:
When a difference of judgment exists between two {426} parties, let
them come together and lay their difficulties at each other's feet,
laying themselves down in the cradle of humility, and say, "brother
(or sister) I want to do right; yea, I will even wrong myself, to
make you right." Do you not think that a man or woman, acting in that
manner towards his or her neighbor, would be justified by the law of
righteousness? Their judgments come together, and they are agreed:
there would, consequently, be no need of calling in a third person to
settle the difference. After taking this course, if you cannot come
together, then call in a third person and settle it. 6:319.
Contentions frequently arise to so alienating a degree that brethren
have no faith in each other's honesty and integrity, when, perhaps,
both parties have stumbled over a little, selfish, ignorant, personal
misunderstanding, are carrying it to the extent of wishing to cut each
other off from the Church. Very frequently such cases are presented
before me. Unravel the difficulty, and it is found to have started
in a trifling misunderstanding in relation to some small matter; all
the trouble has arisen from a most frivolous cause. Avoid nursing
misunderstandings into difficulties. Some talk with a heavy, deep
stress upon their words, without intending anything harsh or unkind.
8:72.
If your neighbors talk about you, and you think that they do wrong in
speaking evil of you, do not let them know that you ever heard a word,
and conduct yourselves as if they always did right, and it will mortify
them, and they will say, "We'll not try this game any longer." 19:70.
Let us make ourselves capable of doing at least a little good, and
this will occupy our minds upon something that is indeed profitable to
others, and will somewhat divert our {427} attention from worshiping
ourselves and blaming everybody that does not do the same. 10:205.
Now, if you do not want to quarrel, take measures to prevent it. 12:315.
_Do Not Deal Out Judgment_--Cease looking at others. Cease to
judge each other. 6:74.
Kindness, love, and affection are the best rod to use upon the
refractory. 9:195.
Away with all little meannesses, and deal out kindness to all. Chasten,
where chastening will answer best; but try persuasion before you try
the rod. 8:63.
Do not throw away a man or a woman, old or young. If they commit an
evil today, and another tomorrow, but wish to be Saints and to be
forgiven, do you forgive them, not only seven times, but seventy times
seven in a-day, if their hearts are fully set to do right. Let us make
it a point to pass over their weaknesses and say, "God bless you in
trying to be better in time to come," and act as wise stewards in the
Kingdom of God. 8:368.
You are not as you should be, unless you can correct every person you
know to be wrong, without having personal ill-feelings against them.
8:191.
Judge not, that ye be not judged. Let no man judge his fellow being,
unless he knows he has the mind of Christ within him. We ought to
reflect seriously upon this point; how often it is said--"Such a person
has done wrong, and he cannot be a Saint, or he would not do so." How
do you know? We hear some swear and lie; they trample upon the rights
of their neighbor, break the Sabbath by staying away from meeting,
riding about the city, hunting horses and cattle, or working in the
canyons. Do not judge such persons, for you do not know the design of
the Lord {428} concerning them; therefore, do not say they are not
Saints. What shall we do with them? Bear with them. The brethren and
sisters from the old countries frequently place great confidence in the
American Elders who have been their pastors, but some trifling thing
occurs that does not appear right to them, and they say in a moment,
"That Elder is not a Latter-day Saint." Judge no man. A person who
would say another is not a Latter-day Saint, for some trifling affair
in human life proves that he does not possess the Spirit of God. Think
of this, brethren and sisters; write it down, that you may refresh your
memories with it; carry it with you and look at it often. If I judge my
brethren and sisters, unless I judge them by the revelations of Jesus
Christ, I have not the spirit of Christ; if I had, I should judge no
man. 1:339.
I am very thankful that it is not our province, in our present
condition, to judge the world; if it were, we would ruin everything. We
have not sufficient wisdom, our minds are not filled with the knowledge
and power of God; the spirit needs to contend with the flesh a little
more until it shall be successful in subduing its passions, until the
whole soul is brought into perfect harmony with the mind and will of
God. And we must also acquire the discretion that God exercises in
being able to look into futurity, and to ascertain and know the results
of our acts away in the future, even in eternity, before we will be
capable of judging. 19:7.
If you are ever called upon to chasten a person, never chasten beyond
the balm you have within you to bind up. 9:124-5.
When a man has power over his neighbor, over his fellow-being, and puts
him in torment, which is like the {429} flames of everlasting fire,
so that he never dares to speak his mind, or walk across the street,
or attend to any branch of business without a continual fear of his
oppressor, and of the rod hanging over him for punishment, it is worse
than to kill and eat him. That is as the torment of hell. 2:140.
_Respect for Neighbors_--Treat the passing strangers with kindness
and respect; treat all kindly and respectfully who respect you and your
rights as American citizens. 10:249.
Here is truth--here are life and salvation. Will you have them? If
you say, "Nay," all right; for you have the privilege of making your
own choice. It has never altered my feelings towards individuals, as
men or as women, whether they believe as I do or not. Can you live as
neighbors with me? I can with you; and it is no particular concern of
mine whether you believe with me or not. 7:165.
In our intercourse with outsiders--do not call them Gentiles--let our
example be such as is worthy of imitation; then every one among them
who is honest will say, "I guess you are right, I think I will come and
stay with you." 12:273.
_Lady and Gentleman Defined_--Now, my brethren and sisters, from
the high and from the lower circles of life, find if you can on the
face of the earth a gentleman or lady, in the strict sense of the word,
and you will find a man or woman that would border very closely on an
angel. Every word that they speak will be seasoned with grace; every
act of their lives would be as nigh as mortals can come to angels;
nothing pertaining to them low, degrading or disgraceful. You find
a gentleman and you will find a man who possesses a heart full of
charity, faith and love, full of {430} good works, whose hand is always
open to do good to every creature. You find a lady, and she is one who
is ready to impart wisdom, knowledge, truth, and every virtuous and
holy principle to her sisters and her fellow beings. These are the true
lady and gentleman; but they are of a higher order than those we now
call ladies and gentlemen. 12:259.
_The Negro_--The seed of Ham, which is the seed of Cain descending
through Ham, will, according to the curse put upon him, serve his
brethren, and be a "servant of servants" to his fellow-creatures, until
God removes the curse; and no power can hinder it. 2:184.
_The Generous Nature_--It floods my heart with sorrow to see so
many Elders of Israel who wish everybody to come to their standard and
be measured by their measure. Every man must be just so long, to fit
their iron bedstead, or be cut off to the right length; if too short,
he must be stretched, to fill the requirement.
The faithful will exercise faith, and pray always for all who are
within the reach of mercy. The good desire good to all. 11:273.
If they see an erring brother or sister, whose course does not comport
with their particular ideas of things, they conclude at once that he or
she cannot be a Saint, and withdraw their fellowship, concluding that,
if they are in the path of truth, others must have precisely their
weight and dimensions.
The ignorance I see, in this particular, among this great people is
lamentable. Let us not narrow ourselves up; for the world, with all its
variety of useful information and its rich hoard of hidden treasure,
is before us; and eternity, with all its sparkling intelligence, lofty
aspirations, and unspeakable glories, is before us, and ready to aid us
in the {431} scale of advancement and every useful improvement. 8:9.
Serve the Lord, and try not to find fault with each other. Live so that
you will not have any fault to find with yourselves, and never mind
the faults of your brethren, for each person has enough of his own to
attend to. 8:291.
To be gentle and kind, modest and truthful, to be full of faith
and integrity, doing no wrong is of God; goodness sheds a halo
of loveliness around every person who possesses it, making their
countenances beam with light, and their society desirable because of
its excellency. They are loved of God, of holy angels, and of all the
good on earth, while they are hated, envied, admired and feared by the
wicked. 11:240.
We ought to be ourselves and not anybody else. We do not wish to be
anybody else, neither do we wish to be anybody but Saints. 3:363.
Every moment of human life should be devoted to doing good somewhere
and in some way. 9:296.
If every person in the community would correct his own errors each day
he lives, the errors of the whole would continually be effectually
corrected. It is an individual business, over which each man must
preside, until every fault in our whole lives is corrected and we are
sanctified before the Lord. 6:316.
It is good to hold on to an old friend; and, no matter how many new
friends I have, I always hold fast to the old ones, and never let them
go, unless their wicked conduct breaks the thread of fellowship between
us. 10:42.
What comes of litigation? Poverty and degradation to any community that
will encourage it. Will it build cities, open farms, build railroads,
erect telegraph lines and {432} improve a country? It will not; but it
will bring any community to ruin. 11:259.
He will bless any man, any family, or any people who is liberal. As it
is written in the good book, "The liberal man deviseth liberal things,"
and if he deviseth liberal things by his liberality he shall stand. The
Lord will bless that people that is full of charity, kindness and good
works. 13:279.
I also say, Cease speaking evil one of another, and cease being
dishonest. Masters, deal honestly and justly with those whom you hire,
who are called servants. Servants, deal honestly and uprightly with
those who employ you, who are called masters, that confidence and the
spirit of brotherhood may be kindled, where now, in too many instances,
the desire to take advantage exists. 18:233. {432}